Definetly, are you going to record visually? Ideal is that you record.

You should keep a distance of the 'aparatus' but still be able to see it. The same person needs to do the same test, with all animals. Keep it a silent ambient. Same hour of the day, for all groups. Do it when they are calm, not right after some sort of stress (cage changing, gavage or something like that).

I will link here some papers that may help.

https://www.nature.com/articles/nprot.2007.44#:~:text=The%20elevated%20plus%20maze%20is,mechanisms%20underlying%20anxiety-related%20behavior.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-020-0751-7

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/open-field-test

Hi Quezia,

We already did the experiments. I was referring to the analysis of the data, where we would like to transform them into categories of anxiety, if possible.

Anyway, thank you very much for your tips.

Generally, I score anxiety behaviors in the EPM and OF as 1) %preference for the open zones ((time in the open zone/total time) *100), but have noticed that other measures may be more or less affected by the same treatment as the preference score. It may be worth comparing this value to 2) effects on open zone entries (choices to enter the open arm or center), for which closed arm entries can be used as a control of sorts in the EPM, and 3) time or distance moved per open zone entry (as a measure of the urgency to leave the open zone once entered). Comparing the 3 will give you a firm idea of how the exploratory pattern has shifted based on the treatment.

Naturally, if there are also differences in locomotion, you will want to note whether differences in anxiety-like behaviors are an artifact of greater/lessened movement, or stand alone.

Thank you very much for your help Andrew. Your answer will help us to classify animals into categories. Best,